A Yankee Flier Over Berlin

was deployed with the Jerries perched up above and around wai

r, specials?"

nt they had zoomed down and ditched their t

rtresses and Liberators below. One big fellow was out of fo

those FW's on that Fort," Stan call

FW's smoking to earth. Instantly the whole battle changed. The flocks of Jerries up above were taken by surprise because this was not accordi

ies cut loose and the Yanks got a crack at them as they tried to filter through. For five minutes the sky was a battlefield, then the Thunde

ead so fast the Jerries began giving him a wide berth. Stan began to realize that their mission was not to be any picnic. One

nd ganging up on the fighters. Stan realized that his flight should have had at least thirty planes in it, and he bega

right, but his gasoline gauge was leering at him and its needle was rolling steadily around. When the fourth Thun

an calling. H

minutes before, but now he was nowhere to be seen. He checked the bomber flight. It was going in for its bombing run and the batteri

owing ahead when a puff of smoke enveloped its tail. The smoke swirled away and there was the Fort without any tail at all, only gaping holes where the rudder and the high tail had b

s had pulled away and gone back to their fields for more ammunition and mor

ell until he reached the channel. He met no German fighters and had a fair tail wind. But his gasoline supply was very

ift a long way, but not far enough if his gas ran out. Steadily he drove

e does not return with you. But when the time comes it is a stabbing shock. Stan and O'Malley had seen

ng any signs of movement. He glanced down at the gray expanse below him and frowned. His

and made other small preparations for a bath in the channel. Then the engine sp

anned the choppy sea for signs of a British patrol boat. Several of the fast rescue boats should be patr

ce is not like slipping along in a glider. If there were any up-drafts, the Thunderbolt paid no atten

he heard the roar of plane motors and looked up and back. A Fort was nosing down toward him. Stan squinted to see

d bobbed, slamming Stan back against his shock pad. He palmed the hatch cover open and kicked loose from his belt and chute harness. In a moment h

said. He got a mouthful of sa

ted on its fuselage. It was The Monkey's Paw, the Fort Allison had taken over for the raid. He wave

e was struggling to stay afloat on the rough sea when a Spitfire began circling overhead. The Spit dro

izon. The boat came roaring toward him, guided by the Spit. Stan grinned eagerly. Nice teamwo

longside and strong ha

me hearty," a

ang on to the arm of the sailor

"Come along. We'll wrap you in a newfangled

ly a Turkish bat

aid as he helped Stan wiggle out of his soggy c

. "I'll catch a ride over

the fastest way,

that's the last place I want to s

e a spot of hot tea ready for you i

ere near the port where they were to put in. By that time his clothing

He shook hands with the British officer and waved to the crew, then he headed for a row of cars parked a

greeted him. "You l

rinned at the girl. "My butler forgot to pack my

I'm afraid it isn't available." S

There were no other drivers ab

kindhearted m

carries a pocketful of crac

urly Englishman, wrapped snugly in the folds of a gr

ne day," he said as he op

nswered. "How

r the first time. "I say, a Yank fl

el by one of His Majesty's patrol b

d man. Wher

s," Stan said a

tioned the war at all. When Stan got down at Diss, Sir Eaton waved his thanks aside. "Good hunting, my boy," he sai

uddenly he began to laugh. He had hitched a ride with one of Winston Churchill's right-

amp. He walked into operations and up to t

you marked down as lost. Sim J

ride with one of Churchill's

hen shoved a pad across the desk.

nwrinkled uniform. There was no one in the hut, but his things an

tuff up in a hurry aro

would be no rush about making O'Malley out a dead man. Getting in

ungsters listening open-mouthed to his talk, sat O'Malley. He looked up and for a moment held a bi

. There was no warm greeting. O'Malley s

, but in time for

on the way ba

spal

an cut in. "No

n let you down,"

happened

a sixty gallons o' gas aboard. The colonel said we was

sight at Huls in a

of extra gas, I did a bit o' sight-seein',"

nd got to their feet. It was

hased a Nazi birdman right down on a British

inging the kids

Irishman leaned back and surveyed the platter where the steak had been. "N

ak and coffee. As soon as the orders were

t today," he began. "I wouldn't hav

t wa

ooded slope with a big cleared field in the middle o' the woods. There on that field was at l

. Did you get

a dive." O'Malley paused and shook his head. "You'd never believe it. I could hardly believe me own eyes. When I came back down to scare the da

but don't ever tell it to a general," S

some black magic them Krauts

ey had seen the planes. He also believed there was some trick the Ge

k," O'Malley said. "I h

account for our not being able to knock out their fighter

us special duty

m and caught them flat-footed. But there must be

to find that out,

ake anybody swallow y